Simultaneous etching of oxides and deposition of metal-containing material onto patterning masks.

Abstract

A method for etching features into an oxide layer formed on a substrate includes introducing a gas mixture containing an etchant and a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber on which the substrate is placed. The substrate comprises an oxide layer partially covered with a patterning mask. The method further includes etching features into the unmasked portion of the oxide layer while simultaneously depositing a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto the patterning mask.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Pattern transfer processes are commonly used in the manufacturing of integrated electronic devices. Some pattern transfer processes utilize photolithography to form patterns on a photoresist layer. In some such processes, the photoresist is patterned to selectively cover or expose different portions of the hard mask layer deposited on the underlying material. A preliminary etching process transfers the pattern from the photoresist to the hard mask layer by etching the exposed portions of the hard mask layer. Another etching process transfers the pattern from the hard mask layer to the underlying material. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0002] This [Summary of the Invention] is provided in a simplified form to introduce some of the concepts further described in the following [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]. This [Summary of the Invention] is not intended to identify any major or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to embodiments that resolve any or all of the defects mentioned in any part of this disclosure.

[0003] Examples are disclosed relating to the simultaneous etching of an oxide and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto a patterning mask. One example provides a method for etching features into an oxide layer on a substrate. The method includes introducing a gas mixture containing an etching agent and a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber on which the substrate is placed. The substrate comprises a patterning mask that partially covers the oxide layer. The method further includes etching features into the unmasked portion of the oxide layer while simultaneously depositing a metal-containing material from a metal halide onto the patterning mask.

[0004] In some such examples, the etchant contains a fluorocarbon.

[0005] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the etchant contains hydrogen fluoride.

[0006] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the oxide layer contains a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide.

[0007] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the oxide layer contains silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide.

[0008] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the patterning mask contains one or more of a metal oxide, amorphous carbon, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, titanium nitride, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride, a photoresist material, or a polymer.

[0009] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the metal halide contains one or more halides of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, iron, ruthenium, rhenium, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, or bismuth.

[0010] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the metal halide contains one or more of tungsten hexafluoride or molybdenum hexafluoride.

[0011] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the metal halide contains an oxyhalide.

[0012] Another example provides a structure including a substrate. An oxide layer covers at least a portion of the substrate. A patterning mask partially covers the oxide layer. A substance containing a metal from a metal halide is deposited on the patterning mask.

[0013] In some such examples, the oxide layer contains a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide.

[0014] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the oxide layer contains silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the patterning mask may include one or more of the following: metal oxides, amorphous carbon, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, titanium nitride, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride, or polymers.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, metal halides include one or more halides of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, iron, ruthenium, rhenium, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, or bismuth.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, metal halides include oxyhalides.

[0018] Another example provides a processing tool. The processing tool comprises a processing chamber. The processing tool further comprises a plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the processing chamber. The processing tool further comprises a substrate holder positioned within the processing chamber. The processing tool further comprises flow control hardware configured to control the flow rate of each of one or more processing chemicals into the processing chamber. The processing tool further comprises a controller. The controller is configured to control the flow control hardware and introduce a gas mixture containing an etchant and a metal halide into the processing chamber. The controller is further configured to control the plasma generator and generate plasma in the processing chamber, and the gas mixture and plasma are configured to etch an unmasked oxide layer on a substrate and simultaneously deposit a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto the masked portion of the substrate, which has a patterning mask covering a portion of the oxide layer.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the processing tool includes an etching chemical source, and the etching chemical source includes fluorocarbons.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the processing tool includes an etching chemical source, and the etching chemical source includes hydrogen fluoride.

[0021] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the processing tool comprises a metal halide source, the metal halide source comprising one or more halides of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, iron, ruthenium, rhenium, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, or bismuth.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the metal halide source includes oxyhalides.

[0023] Another example provides a method for removing patterning mask remnant from a substrate between a resist development process and an etching process. The method includes introducing a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber where the substrate, which includes a photoresist patterning mask and patterning mask remnant, is placed, depositing a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto at least the photoresist patterning mask, and protecting the photoresist patterning mask during the removal of the patterning mask remnant.

[0024] In some such examples, the patterning mask contains a metal oxide photoresist.

[0025] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the removal of patterning mask residue and the deposition of metal-containing material from metal halides are performed simultaneously.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the deposition of metal-containing material from metal halides and the removal of patterning mask residue are performed sequentially.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the patterning mask includes a polymer-based photoresist.

[0028] Alternatively or additionally, in some such examples, the deposition of metal-containing material from metal halides is further carried out before and simultaneously with the removal of the patterning mask residue. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary processing tool configured to etch a substrate.

[0030] [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a top view of the circuit board shown in Figure 1.

[0031] [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of the substrate shown in Figure 1, illustrating the simultaneous etching of the oxide layer and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterning mask. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the substrate shown in Figure 1, illustrating the simultaneous etching of the oxide layer and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterning mask. [Figure 3C] Figure 3C is a cross-sectional view of the substrate shown in Figure 1, illustrating the simultaneous etching of the oxide layer and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterning mask.

[0032] [Figure 4A] Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary substrate, showing simultaneous etching of the oxide layer and deposition of a metal-containing material onto the photoresist material. [Figure 4B] Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary substrate, showing simultaneous etching of the oxide layer and deposition of a metal-containing material on the photoresist material.

[0033] [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for etching features into an oxide layer formed on a substrate.

[0034] [Figure 6A] Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary substrate, showing the simultaneous removal of photoresist mask residue and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterned photoresist. [Figure 6B] Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary substrate, showing the simultaneous removal of photoresist mask residue and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterned photoresist. [Figure 6C]Figure 6C is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary substrate, showing the simultaneous removal of photoresist mask residue and the deposition of a metal-containing material onto the patterned photoresist.

[0035] [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for removing photoresist mask residue.

[0036] [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary method for removing photoresist mask residue.

[0037] [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] The term "simultaneous" generally refers to two or more events that overlap at least partially in time.

[0039] The term "etching" generally refers to a chemical process that removes material from a substrate.

[0040] The term "etchant" generally refers to a chemical substance used to remove material from a substrate. Etching agents can be added to a plasma to generate reactive species, which then chemically react with the substrate surface and volatilize. Exemplary etchants include various chlorine-containing and fluorine-containing materials. Examples of chlorine-containing etchants include molecular chlorine (Cl2), nitrogen trichloride (NCl3), boron trichloride (BCl3), sulfur hexachloride (SCl6), tetrachloromethane (CCl4), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and C13. a H b Cl cExamples of fluorine-containing etching agents include chlorinated compounds having (a=1~10). Examples of fluorine-containing etching agents include molecular fluorine (F2), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), boron trifluoride (BF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), tetrafluoromethane (CF4), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and C2. a H b F c Examples of fluorocarbon compounds having (a=1~10) include those with (a=1~10).

[0041] The term "flow control hardware" generally refers to a component configured to fluidly connect one or more processing chemical sources to a processing chamber. Flow control hardware may include, for example, one or more mass flow controllers and / or valves. Exemplary chemical sources include etching chemical sources and metal halide sources.

[0042] The term "fluid communication" generally refers to a structural configuration that allows a fluid substance, such as a liquid or gas, to flow from one place to another.

[0043] The term "fluorocarbon" generally refers to a molecule containing one or more carbon atoms and one or more fluorine atoms. Examples of fluorocarbons include fluoroethane (C2H5F), 1,1-difluoroethane (C2H4F2), fluoromethane (CH3F), difluoromethane (CH2F2), trifluoromethane (CHF3), and tetrafluoromethane (CF4).

[0044] The term "mask residue" generally refers to the photoresist material left on the substrate after the photoresist has been developed. The term "scum" is also sometimes used to refer to mask residue.

[0045] The term "metal halide" generally refers to compounds containing both a metal and a halogen. Examples of metal halides include tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) and molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6).

[0046] The term "oxide layer" generally refers to a layer of material containing oxygen and oxidation species deposited on the surface of a substrate. Examples of oxide layers include silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon oxynitride (SiO x N y , where 0 ≦ x ≦ 2 and 0 ≦ y ≦ 1.33), silicon oxycarbide (SiC x O 2(1-x) (0 ≦ x ≦ 1)), and doped or undoped layers of metal oxides. Exemplary metal oxides include hafnium oxide (HfO x ), titanium oxide (TiO x ), tungsten oxide (WO x ), tin oxide (SnO x ), and molybdenum oxide (MoO x ).

[0047] The term "oxyhalide" generally refers to a compound containing oxygen atoms and halogen atoms. Examples of oxyhalides include tungsten oxyfluoride (WOF4), tungsten oxychloride (WOCl4), molybdenum oxyfluoride (MoOF4), and molybdenum oxychloride (MoOCl4).

[0048] The term "patterning mask" generally refers to a film that protects the underlying material from etching. Examples of patterning mask materials include metal oxides (e.g., for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography), amorphous carbon, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, titanium nitride (TiN), silicon (Si), silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon carbonitride (xSi3N4·(1 - x)SiC), and polymer films (e.g., polymer photoresist).

[0049] The term "plasma" generally refers to a gas containing cations and free electrons.

[0050] The term "plasma generator" generally refers to a device configured to generate plasma to provide reactive species and / or high-energy ions for substrate processing within a processing chamber.

[0051] The term "processing chamber" generally refers to an enclosure in which chemical and / or physical processes are carried out on a substrate. The pressure, temperature, and atmospheric composition within the processing chamber are controllable for carrying out the chemical and / or physical processes.

[0052] The term "processing tool" generally refers to a machine that includes a processing chamber and other hardware configured to enable processing to be performed within the processing chamber.

[0053] The term "substrate" generally refers to any object on which material can be deposited or removed by etching.

[0054] The term "substrate holder" generally refers to any structure configured to support a substrate within a processing chamber. Examples include chucks, pedestals, and showerhead pedestals used in backfill deposition processes.

[0055] The term "unmasked area" generally refers to the portion of the substrate that is not covered by the patterned mask.

[0056] As described above, the pattern transfer process is commonly used in semiconductor device fabrication. The pattern transfer process uses patterning masks, such as photoresist masks and hard masks, to transfer a pattern to an underlying material layer. For example, a pattern can be formed on a substrate using photolithography and then transferred to another layer on the substrate using photoresist. Photoresist is a polymer material whose properties change when exposed to light. In the photoresist patterning process, a photoresist layer is deposited on the substrate. Next, the photoresist layer is exposed to a light pattern. In some cases, the photoresist layer degrades when exposed to light. The exposed portion of the photoresist layer can then be removed, leaving the unexposed portion on the substrate. In other cases, the photoresist layer hardens when exposed to light. The unexposed portion of the photoresist layer can then be removed. In either case, a patterned film can be formed by selectively exposing a portion of the photoresist layer to light.

[0057] Photolithography can be used to form patterns on a hard mask layer. The hard mask layer is a layer of material that is more selective to the etching process than polymer photoresist. In such a process, a photoresist layer is deposited on the hard mask layer. Next, the photoresist is patterned. This exposes a portion of the hard mask layer, while the rest remains covered with photoresist. Then, a preliminary etching process is used to remove the material from the exposed portion of the hard mask layer. This transfers the pattern from the photoresist to the hard mask layer. Another etching process transfers the pattern from the hard mask layer to the layer beneath it.

[0058] However, there are technical challenges in maintaining the fidelity of pattern features transferred from the photoresist to the hard mask layer, and from the hard mask layer to the underlying layer. For example, photoresist scum can cause bridging defects. In some cases, a descamming process is applied to prevent such defects. However, the descamming process can reduce the thickness of the photoresist layer, which can lead to disconnections.

[0059] The etching of the underlying layers also wears down the hard mask layer. Using a hard mask that is too thin can result in manufacturing defects such as disconnections. Localized variations in contact dimensions (CD) and height can create weak points where CD and height decrease, increasing mask wear and potentially leading to disconnection-type defects. Hard mask layer degradation can also present challenges when integrating with other processing steps, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which may require preserving some of the hard mask layer thickness.

[0060] To address these issues, a thicker hard mask layer can be used. However, increasing the thickness of the hard mask layer can introduce other problems such as line roughness and deviation ("wiggling") due to variations in the hard mask. Also, etching a thick carbon layer can result in excessive roughness due to polymer deposition on the sidewalls of the hard mask during the etching process.

[0061] Therefore, to avoid wear of the patterning mask during the etching process, an example of an etching process is disclosed that selectively deposits material onto a patterning mask, such as a hard mask or a photoresist mask (e.g., an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist such as a polymer photoresist or a metal oxide photoresist). Briefly, a gas mixture containing an etchant and a metal halide is introduced into a processing chamber where the substrate is placed. The substrate comprises an oxide layer (e.g., SiO2) partially covered with a patterning mask. Features are etched onto the unmasked portions of the oxide layer. A metal-containing material from the metal halide is simultaneously deposited onto the patterning mask. This process selectively deposits the additive material on the hard mask layer in situ while the target material is naturally etched. The deposition of the additive material allows the thickness of the patterning mask to be maintained or increased during the etching process. As a result, the disclosed example can more faithfully retain pattern features during pattern transfer than etching processes that omit the simultaneous deposition of the metal-containing material. This can help prevent defects such as breaks, line roughness, and wiggling. In some cases, this process makes it possible to reduce the hard mask layer thickness from 30 nm to 5 nm while maintaining the integrity of pattern transfer and preventing etching-induced defects. This also allows for the use of thinner hard mask layers than etching processes that omit the simultaneous deposition of metal-containing materials, thus avoiding the trade-off between bridging and failure.

[0062] Before describing these examples in more detail, Figure 1 schematically shows an exemplary processing tool 100 in the form of a plasma etching tool. The processing tool 100 includes a processing chamber 102. The processing tool 100 further includes a substrate holder 104 positioned within the processing chamber 102. During operation, a substrate 106 is placed on the substrate holder 104. In some examples, the substrate holder 104 includes a base, an electrostatic chuck, and / or any other suitable components for supporting the substrate 106.

[0063] The processing tool 100 further comprises an inner electrode 108 and an outer electrode 110. By using separate components for the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110 instead of a single large electrode, it becomes possible, for example, to swap the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110 at different frequencies.

[0064] In the illustrated example, the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110 are incorporated into a showerhead 112 configured to introduce and distribute process chemicals. Exemplary process chemicals include etchants for chemical etching, metal halides for deposition, and inert gases for use as diluent gases, purging gases, and / or sputtering gases. The substrate-facing surface of the showerhead 112 includes multiple holes through which the process chemicals flow.

[0065] The processing tool 100 further comprises an electrode heater 114 positioned above the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110. The electrode heater 114 is thermally coupled to the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110. The electrode heater 114 is used to control the temperature of the inner electrode 108 and / or the outer electrode 110 during substrate processing.

[0066] The substrate holder 104 includes a conductive base plate 116 that acts as a lower electrode. The conductive base plate 116 supports the substrate heater 120. In some examples, the substrate heater 120 takes the form of a ceramic layer. In some more specific examples, the substrate heater 120 comprises a multi-zone heating plate made of ceramic. A thermal resistance layer 122 is placed between the substrate heater 120 and the base plate 116. The base plate 116 includes one or more coolant channels 124 for flowing coolant through the base plate 116. The substrate holder 104 further includes an edge ring 126 configured to surround the substrate 106.

[0067] The processing tool 100 further comprises a plasma generator 128 configured to generate plasma in the processing chamber 102. The plasma generator 128 generates a radio frequency (RF) voltage and outputs it to the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110. In some examples, the RF voltage oscillates around a bias voltage. The conductive baseplate 116 can be DC grounded, AC grounded, or stray. The plasma generator 128 includes an RF voltage generator 130 configured to generate the RF voltage. The RF voltage is supplied to the inner electrode 108 and the outer electrode 110 using an impedance matching and distribution network 132. In other examples, the plasma can be generated inductively, remotely, or using any other suitable method. Examples of plasma generator 128 include capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) systems, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) systems, and remote microwave plasma generation and supply systems. In other examples, the RF voltage can be sent to the conductive base plate 116, and the inner electrode 108 and outer electrode 110 can be DC grounded, AC grounded, or floating.

[0068] The treatment chemical supply system 134 includes treatment chemical sources 136A to 136N (collectively referred to as treatment chemical sources 136), where N represents zero or any number of additional treatment chemical sources. As will be described in more detail below, the treatment chemical sources 136 supply etching agents, metal halides, and / or mixtures thereof. In some examples, vaporized precursors can be used. The treatment chemical sources 136 can also supply inert gases. Examples of inert gases include helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and / or mixtures thereof.

[0069] The processing tool 100 further comprises flow control hardware 138. The flow control hardware 138 is configured to control the flow rate of each of one or more processing chemicals to the processing chamber 102. Each of the processing chemical sources 136 is in fluid communication with the flow control hardware 138. For example, the processing chemical sources 136 are connected to the manifold 144 by valves 140A-140N (collectively referred to as valves 140) and mass flow controllers (MFCs) 142A-142N (collectively referred to as MFCs 142). As described above, exemplary processing chemical sources include etching chemical source 136A and metal halide source 136B. The processing chemical sources 136 optionally include one or more additional processing chemical sources 136N, such as an inert gas source. The output of the manifold 144 is supplied to the processing chamber 102, for example, via a showerhead 112. The processing chemical supply system 134 can further help control the pressure in the processing chamber 102.

[0070] The temperature controller 146 is connected to a plurality of thermal control elements (TCEs) 148 (e.g., heating elements) located on the ceramic layer 118. The temperature controller 146 is used to control the TCEs 148 and to control the temperatures of the substrate holder 104 and the substrate 106. Furthermore, the temperature controller 146 communicates with the coolant assembly 150 and controls the flow of coolant through the coolant channel 124. In some examples, the coolant assembly 150 may include a coolant pump and a reservoir. The temperature controller 146 operates the coolant assembly 150 to selectively flow coolant through the coolant channel 124 to cool the substrate holder 104.

[0071] Valves 152 and pumps 154 can be used to discharge the reactant from the processing chamber 102. Furthermore, a system controller 156 is configured to control the components of the plasma processing tool 100. A robot 158 ​​feeds the substrate into the substrate holder 104 and removes the substrate from the substrate holder 104. For example, the robot 158 ​​transfers the substrate between the substrate holder 104 and the load lock 160. Although shown as a separate controller, the temperature controller 146 can also be integrated into the system controller 156. Additionally, a protective seal 162 is provided around the thermal resistance layer 122 between the ceramic layer 118 and the base plate 116. In other examples, the protective seal 162 is omitted.

[0072] The processing chamber 102 further includes a plasma confinement shroud 164. The plasma confinement shroud 164 is positioned around the outer electrode 110 and the edge ring 126. In the illustrated example, the inner electrode 108, the outer electrode 110, the plasma confinement shroud 164, and the edge ring 126 confine the plasma within the plasma confinement region 166. In some examples, the plasma confinement shroud 164 is electrically connected to the outer electrode 110 and the inner electrode 108. The plasma confinement shroud 164 includes one or more slots 168 for providing fluid communication between the plasma confinement region 166 and the environment outside the plasma confinement shroud 164. In other examples, any other suitable plasma exposure section is used to confine the plasma within the plasma confinement region.

[0073] Figure 1 is illustrative. In other examples, the processing tool may include any other components suitable for carrying out a plasma process. Other exemplary components may include remote plasma generation and supply systems. Furthermore, in some examples, the processing tool 100 may omit one or more components shown. Although described herein in the context of plasma etching tools, other processing tools may also be used to carry out the disclosed examples. Other examples of processing tools include PEALD tools and PECVD tools. Such tools may be configured to carry out in-situ etching in some examples.

[0074] The processing tool 100 is configured to control the flow control hardware 138 and introduce the gas mixture into the processing chamber 102. The gas mixture contains an etchant from the etching chemical source 136A. The etchant can be added to the plasma to generate reactive species, which can then chemically react with the substrate surface and volatilize. Exemplary etchants include a variety of chlorine-containing and fluorine-containing materials. Examples of chlorine-containing etchants include molecular chlorine (Cl2), nitrogen trichloride (NCl3), boron trichloride (BCl3), sulfur hexachloride (SCl6), silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), and hydrogen chloride (HCl). Examples of fluorine-containing etchants include molecular fluorine (F2), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), boron trifluoride (BF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), and hydrogen fluoride (HF).

[0075] In some cases, the etching agent contains fluorocarbons. Some examples of fluorocarbons include, but are not limited to, those with the general formula C a H b F cExamples of fluorocarbon compounds include those having (a=1~10). Some more specific examples of fluorocarbons include fluoromethane (CH3F), difluoromethane (CH2F2), trifluoromethane (CHF3), tetrafluoromethane (CF4), fluoroethane (C2H5F), and 1,1-difluoroethane (C2H4F2). In some cases, such fluorinated compounds are used to etch silicon dioxide or other metalloid oxides. In other cases, fluorinated compounds can be used to etch any other suitable material, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) or other metal oxides.

[0076] In other examples, the etching agent contains chlorocarbon. Some examples of chlorocarbons include, but are not limited to, those with the general formula C a H b Cl c Examples of chlorinated compounds include those having (a=1~10). Some more specific examples of chlorocarbons include chloromethane (CH3Cl), dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), trichloromethane (CHCl3), tetrachloromethane (CCl4), chloroethane (C2H5Cl), and 1,1-dichloroethane (C2H4Cl2). In some cases, such chlorinated compounds are used to etch metal oxides such as TiO2. In other cases, chlorinated compounds can be used to etch any other suitable material such as metalloid oxides.

[0077] The gas mixture further comprises metal halides from the metal halide source 136B. In some examples, the metal halides include one or more halides of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), iron (Fe), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Rh), antimony (Sb), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), or bismuth (Bi). In some examples, the metal halides include metal fluorides if the etching agent contains fluorocarbons. Some examples of metal fluorides include, but are not limited to, tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) and molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6). In other examples, metal halides include metal chlorides when the etching agent contains chlorocarbon. Some examples of metal fluorides, but not limited to, include titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), tungsten hexachloride (WCl6), and molybdenum pentachloride (MoCl5). In yet another example, metal halides include oxyhalides. Examples of oxyhalides include tungsten oxytetrafluoride (WOF4), tungsten oxytetrachloride (WOCl4), and molybdenum oxytetrafluoride (MoO x F4), and molybdenum oxytetrachloride (MoO x A prime example is Cl4). As will be explained in more detail below, the metal halide and / or etching agent react to form a metal-containing substance from the metal halide on the patterning mask.

[0078] Figure 2 shows a top view of the substrate 106 in Figure 1. Figure 3A shows a cross-sectional view of the substrate 106 along line 2-2 in Figure 2. The substrate 106 comprises a layer 172 of any composition.

[0079] The substrate 106 further comprises an oxide layer 174 formed on layer 172. The oxide layer may include one or more layers of doped or undoped material. In some examples, the oxide layer includes metal oxides and / or metalloid oxides. In some more specific examples, the oxide layer includes silicon dioxide (SiO2) and / or TiO2. In other examples, the oxide layer includes any other suitable material. Other examples of suitable materials include silicon oxynitride (SiO2). x N y (0≦x≦2, 0≦y≦1.33), silicon carbide (SiC) x O 2(1-x) (0≦x≦1), hafnium oxide (HfO) x ), tungsten oxide (WO x ), tin oxide (SnO x ), molybdenum oxide (MoO x ), and other titanium oxides (TiO x ) are some examples.

[0080] A hard mask 176 covers the oxide layer 174. In some examples, the hard mask 176 contains amorphous carbon. In other examples, the hard mask 176 contains any other suitable material. Other examples of suitable materials include metal oxides, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, titanium nitride (TiN), silicon (Si), silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon carbide (SiC), and xSi3N4·(1-x)SiC. As will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 3B-3C, the hard mask 176 functions as a hard mask for transferring pattern features defined during the preliminary etching process onto the oxide layer 174.

[0081] The substrate 106 in Figure 3A further comprises a photoresist patterning mask 178. In some examples, the photoresist patterning mask 178 further includes a light-absorbing underlayer (not shown) configured to facilitate patterning of the photoresist layer 178. As described above, the photoresist patterning mask 178 selectively exposes a portion of the hard mask 176. In this way, material can be removed from the exposed portion of the hard mask 176 during the pre-etching process. The photoresist patterning mask 178 protects the unexposed portion of the hard mask 176 from the pre-etching process. This allows for pattern transfer from the photoresist patterning mask 178 to the hard mask 176, as will be described in more detail below with reference to Figure 3B. The shapes of the etched features in Figures 3A to 3C are arbitrary, and it will be understood that the processes disclosed herein can also be used with any suitable feature shapes.

[0082] In some examples, the preliminary etching process is performed on the processing tool 100. In other examples, the preliminary etching process is performed before transferring the substrate 106 to the processing tool 100.

[0083] Figure 3B shows the substrate 106 after the preliminary etching process. As shown in Figure 3B, the exposed portion of the hard mask 176 is etched away. As a result, the oxide layer 174 is partially covered by the hard mask 176. Thus, the hard mask 176 acts as a patterning mask for the oxide layer 174. This allows for selective etching of the oxide layer 174.

[0084] Referring again to Figure 1, the plasma generator 128 is used to generate plasma in the processing chamber 102 and simultaneously etch the feature 180 onto the unmasked portion of the oxide layer 174 and deposit a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto the hard mask 176. In some examples, the feature 180 takes the form of a linear trench. In other examples, the feature 180 has any other suitable shape. Other examples of suitable features that can be formed include circular holes, columnar shapes, and spacers.

[0085] The plasma generator 128 is configured to apply RF power and convert the etchant and metal halide into plasma. In some examples, the RF power is in the range of 20 to 1000 W. In some examples, the RF power is applied at a frequency in the frequency range of 400 kHz to 60 MHz. In some more specific examples, the frequency is in the frequency range of 1 to 27 MHz. For example, the plasma generator 128 can operate at 13.56 MHz. In some examples, the plasma is generated at a processing chamber pressure of less than 1 Torr. In some more specific examples, the processing chamber pressure is in the range of 1 to 750 mTorr. In even more specific examples, the processing chamber pressure is in the range of 2 to 500 mTorr. In some examples, the substrate 106 is maintained at a substrate temperature in the range of 0 to 300°C during the etching process. In some more specific examples, the substrate temperature is in the range of 25 to 200°C. In even more specific examples, the substrate temperature is in the range of 30 to 150°C.

[0086] The plasma selectively etches the exposed portions of the oxide layer 174, while simultaneously depositing a metal-containing material 182 from a metal halide onto the hard mask 176. The etchant in the plasma reacts with the oxide layer 174, etching the oxide layer. The etchant in the plasma also reacts with the metal halide and the hard mask 176, forming material 182 on the hard mask 176. Equation (1) shows an example of a potential reaction between a metal halide (WF6) and an etchant (C2F4) in an amorphous carbon hard mask:

[0087] (1) WF6+C2F4+C (substrate) →W+WC x F y +C (substrate)

[0088] Tungsten metallic phase and WC x F y The phase can increase the thickness of the amorphous carbon mask. Ion bombardment can further improve the plasma resistance of the deposited film. Similar reactions may occur on other patterning masks. In contrast, a solid phase may not form on the unmasked portions of the oxide layer being etched. Equation (2) shows an example of a potential reaction that occurs on an unmasked SiO2 surface.

[0089] (2) WF6 + C2F4 + SiO2 → SiF x +WF x +CO2

[0090] For example, SiF x Phase and WF x The phase can be completely fluorinated during etching to form volatile SiF4+WF6. Other exemplary volatile phases that can be formed include WOF4. In some examples, material 182 additionally or alternatively contains metal from the substrate 106. For example, Ti released during etching of the TiO2 layer can be incorporated into material 182 deposited on the hard mask 176.

[0091] Depositing material 182 on the hard mask 176 using a metal halide helps to prevent the hard mask 176 from being worn down during the etching process. In some examples, material 182 also helps to prevent degradation of the hard mask 176 during ion bombardment. This may allow for the use of a thinner hard mask 176 than in etching processes that omit the metal halide as disclosed.

[0092] The substance 182 can be removed after etching the oxide layer 174. In some examples, a wet cleaning process is used to remove the substance 182 and the hard mask 176. Any suitable cleaning agent can be used to remove the substance 182. Some examples of suitable cleaning agents include ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

[0093] In this way, the oxide layer 174 can be patterned with higher fidelity than can be achieved by plasma etching processes that do not utilize the simultaneous deposition of metal-containing materials. By additionally depositing material 182 on the hard mask 176, the hard mask 176 can achieve a pattern transfer fidelity similar to that of thicker hard mask materials, while avoiding defects such as breaks, line roughness, and wiggling.

[0094] Figures 4A and 4B show another example of the substrate 200. Similar to the substrate 106 in Figure 1, the substrate 200 comprises a layer 202 of any composition. The substrate 200 further comprises an oxide layer 204 formed on the layer 202. As mentioned above, the oxide layer 204 can contain any suitable material. Some examples of suitable materials include SiO2, TiO2, and SiO2. x N y (0≦x≦2, 0≦y≦1.33), SiC x O 2(1-x) (0≦x≦1), HfO x WO x SnO x , and MoO x These are some examples.

[0095] The substrate 200 further comprises a photoresist patterning mask 206. The photoresist patterning mask 206 selectively exposes a portion of the oxide layer 204. The exposed portion of the oxide layer 204 is selectively etched using an etchant and a metal halide as described above. For example, the plasma generator 128 in Figure 1 can be used as described above to convert the etchant and metal halide into plasma. The plasma selectively etches the exposed portion of the oxide layer 204 and simultaneously deposits a metal-containing material 208 from the metal halide onto the photoresist patterning mask 206. In this way, the oxide layer 204 can be etched without additional hard mask deposition and patterning steps.

[0096] Figure 5 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 500 for etching features into an oxide layer formed on a substrate. The following description of method 500 is provided with reference to the components described above and shown in Figures 1 to 4B and Figure 9. It will be understood that method 500 can be implemented in other circumstances as well.

[0097] In 502, method 500 includes introducing a gas mixture containing an etching agent and a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber where a substrate is placed, the substrate comprising an oxide layer partially covered with a patterning mask. For example, the processing tool 100 in Figure 1 is configured to generate plasma in a processing chamber 102 where a substrate 106 is located.

[0098] In some examples, the etching agent contains fluorocarbons. Some examples of fluorocarbons include, but are not limited to, CH3F, CH2F2, CHF3, CF4, C2H5F, and C2H4F2. Furthermore, in some examples, the etching agent additionally or alternatively contains HF. Such etching agents react to remove material from the oxide layer.

[0099] In some examples, the oxide layer contains a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide. In some such examples, the oxide layer contains SiO2 or TiO2. As mentioned above, other examples of suitable materials include, but are not limited to, SiO2. x N y (0≦x≦2, 0≦y≦1.33), SiC x O 2(1-x) (0≦x≦1), HfO x WO x SnO x , and MoO x These are some examples.

[0100] In some examples, patterning masks contain amorphous carbon. For example, the hard mask 176 in Figures 3A-3C may contain amorphous carbon. Other examples of materials suitable for use in patterning masks include metal oxides, amorphous carbon, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, TiN, Si, Si3N4, SiC, xSi3N4·(1-x)SiC, and polymer films.

[0101] Metal halides may include one or more halides of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, B, Al, Ga, In, Fe, Ru, Rh, Sb, W, Mo, or Bi. In some such examples, the metal halide includes one or more WF6 or MoF6. In other examples, the metal halide includes an oxyhalide. For example, the metal halide may include oxygen and halogen atoms. The metal halide and / or etching agent react with the patterning mask to deposit a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto the patterning mask.

[0102] Method 500 further comprises, in 504, etching features onto the unmasked portion of the oxide layer while simultaneously depositing a metal-containing material from a metal halide onto the patterning mask. For example, the etchant in the plasma reacts with the oxide layer to etch it. The etchant in the plasma also reacts with the metal halide and carbon atoms in the patterning mask to form a material on the patterning mask.

[0103] Therefore, by etching features into the oxide layer as disclosed, the thickness of the patterning mask (e.g., hard mask or photoresist patterning mask) is maintained or increased during the etching process. As described above, the etchant and metal halide are introduced into the processing chamber. The metal halide and / or etchant react with the patterning mask to form a metal-containing substance from the metal halide. This substance is selectively deposited on the patterning mask during the etching process. This substance protects the patterning mask from degradation. As a result, the etching process disclosed herein transfers pattern features to the oxide layer more faithfully than etching processes without additional deposition on the mask layer. By preventing degradation of the patterning mask, the disclosed etching process can also prevent manufacturing defects such as breakage, line roughness, and wiggling.

[0104] In EUV (extreme ultraviolet) photoresist patterning processes using metal oxide photoresists (e.g., organotin oxide resists), some residual unwanted photoresist material may remain on the substrate after development. This material is sometimes called mask residue or scum. Mask residue can affect the accuracy of subsequent pattern transfer. Therefore, to ensure accurate pattern transfer, the mask residue can be removed from the substrate in a descam process before etching is performed to transfer the photoresist pattern to one or more underlying layers. However, the process of removing mask residue may affect the photoresist patterning mask.

[0105] Therefore, to prevent degradation of the photoresist patterning mask during mask residue removal, a protective layer of metal-containing material from the metal halide can be deposited on the photoresist patterning mask using a metal halide. In some examples, the protective layer can be deposited by introducing the metal halide during the mask residue removal process. Alternatively or additionally, the protective layer can be deposited in a separate step before carrying out the mask residue removal process. As described above, metal halides can react with carbon to deposit additive materials. Metal oxide EUV resists (e.g., tin oxide-based resists) can contain carbon-containing ligands (e.g., alkyl ligands) bonded to metal atoms. The carbon in the photoresist material can react with the etchant and metal halide in the plasma, for example, as shown in formula (1) above, to form additive materials. In this way, the photoresist patterning mask can be protected before or during the mask residue removal process. This can help maintain the accuracy of pattern transfer to one or more underlying layers.

[0106] Figures 6A–6C illustrate an exemplary process for removing mask residue while protecting a photoresist patterning mask with a layer of material formed using a metal halide. First, Figure 6A shows an exemplary substrate 600. The substrate 600 comprises a layer 602 of any composition. The substrate 600 further comprises a hard mask layer 604 formed on layer 602. As described above, the hard mask layer 604 contains carbon (e.g., amorphous carbon or diamond-like carbon). Other examples of materials suitable for the hard mask layer 604 include boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, silicon carbide (SiC), and xSi3N4·(1-x)SiC. The substrate 600 further comprises a metal oxide-based photoresist patterning mask 606 formed on the hard mask layer 604 for transferring a pattern to the hard mask layer 604. The photoresist patterning mask 606 is shown after development and therefore has mask residue 608.

[0107] During the mask residue removal process, the substrate 600 is exposed to an inert plasma, such as a helium plasma. High-energy ions from the plasma affect the mask residue, causing it to detach from the substrate. However, these high-energy ions can also damage the photoresist patterning mask. To reduce the damage caused by the mask residue removal process, a metal halide can be introduced into the plasma before or during the mask residue removal plasma process to form a protective layer of metal-containing material from the metal halide. The metal from the metal halide reacts with carbon in the photoresist patterning mask, allowing the material to be deposited on the photoresist patterning mask. Figure 6B shows the deposition of material 610 on the photoresist patterning mask 606 and the substrate 600 after the mask residue removal process has been carried out.

[0108] The concentration of the metal halide and / or the plasma conditions can be selected to help avoid the deposition of material 610 on the mask residue. For example, referring again briefly to Figure 6A, the mask residue 608 is mainly located on the sidewalls of the photoresist patterning mask 606 and on the hard mask layer 604. Thus, the concentration of the metal halide can be selected so that the metal halide is mainly consumed near the top surface of the photoresist patterning mask 606 rather than in the deeper parts of the pattern formed by the photoresist patterning mask 606.

[0109] Figure 6C shows an example of the substrate 600 after plasma etching of the hard mask layer 604. In some examples, the plasma includes an etchant (e.g., an oxygen-containing or hydrogen-containing etchant) and a metal halide plasma, as described above. In such examples, the layer of material 610 can be thickened by further depositing material 610 during the etching process. In other examples, the plasma includes an etchant but does not include a metal halide. In such examples, the layer of material 610 formed during the mask residue removal process can be used to protect the photoresist patterning mask 606 during pattern transfer to the hard mask layer 604.

[0110] Figure 7 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 700 in which the removal of patterning mask residue and the deposition of a metal-containing material from a metal halide are performed simultaneously. The following description of method 700 is provided with reference to the components described above and shown in Figures 6A to 6C. It will be understood that method 700 can be carried out in other circumstances as well.

[0111] In 702, method 700 includes introducing a gas mixture containing an inert gas and a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a substrate having a hard mask layer, an EUV photoresist patterning mask, and mask residue on the hard mask layer. The mask residue is residue from the EUV photoresist development process. The EUV photoresist patterning mask is configured to transfer a pattern to the hard mask layer. In some examples, the hard mask layer contains carbon such as amorphous carbon or diamond-like carbon. In other examples, the hard mask 604 contains another suitable material, including those described above. High-energy inert gas ions in the plasma can remove the mask residue by transferring kinetic energy to the mask residue and causing desorption.

[0112] Metal halides are configured to deposit a metal-containing material on a patterned EUV photoresist layer by reacting with carbon in the photoresist. As mentioned above, some examples of metal halides include silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), iron (Fe), ruthenium (Ru), rhenium (Rh), antimony (Sb), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), or bismuth (Bi). As more specific examples, metal halides include tungsten hexafluoride (WF6), molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6), titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), tungsten hexachloride (WCl6), molybdenum pentachloride (MoCl5), as well as tungsten oxytetrafluoride (WOF4), tungsten oxytetrachloride (WOCl4), and molybdenum oxytetrafluoride (MoO x F4), or molybdenum oxytetrachloride (MoO xExamples include one or more oxyhalides such as Cl4. Metal halides react with carbon in the photoresist, allowing a layer of metal-containing material to be deposited on the photoresist patterning mask.

[0113] Removing mask residue allows for more accurate transfer of the EUV photoresist mask pattern to the hard mask layer compared to processes where mask residue removal is omitted. Furthermore, metal-containing materials help protect the EUV photoresist patterning mask during the mask residue removal step, further ensuring accurate pattern transfer.

[0114] After removing the mask residue, method 700 further includes etching the unmasked portion of the hard mask layer in 706, thereby transferring the EUV photoresist patterning mask pattern to the hard mask layer. As described above, the etching agent can be an oxygen-containing etchant or a hydrogen-containing etchant.

[0115] Figure 8 shows a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method 800 in which the deposition of a metal-containing material from a metal halide and the removal of EUV photoresist patterning mask residue are performed in succession. In 802, method 800 includes introducing a gas mixture containing a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a substrate having a hard mask layer, and an EUV photoresist patterning mask and mask residue on the hard mask layer.

[0116] As described above, metal halides are configured to deposit a metal-containing material on a patterned photoresist mask by reacting with carbon in the photoresist. Examples of metal halides include those listed above.

[0117] A metal-containing material deposited on a photoresist patterning mask acts as a protective layer, helping to protect the mask from degradation during the mask residue removal step. This can help achieve more accurate pattern transfer than when metal halides are not used.

[0118] Method 800 further includes removing mask residue in step 806. As described above, mask residue can be removed by desorption using high-energy ions with an inert plasma. Removal of mask residue allows for more accurate transfer of the mask pattern to the hard mask layer compared to a process in which mask residue removal is omitted. During the mask residue removal step 806, the metal-containing material deposited on the EUV photoresist patterning mask in step 802 acts as a protective layer, as described above.

[0119] In some examples, as shown in 808, the mask residue removal step 806 includes introducing a metal halide into the plasma. In such examples, the deposition of a metal-containing material from the metal halide is further carried out before and concurrently with the removal of the patterning mask residue. As described above, the metal halide can react with the carbon in the photoresist patterning mask to form a protective layer. This may help to further protect the photoresist patterning mask during the execution of the mask residue removal step. Examples of metal halides are those listed above. In other examples, the metal halide is omitted from the mask residue removal step. Following the successive removal of mask residue and formation of the protective layer in 806 and 808, method 800 further includes etching the pattern to the unmasked portion of the hard mask layer in 810, as described above with respect to Figure 7.

[0120] Figure 9 schematically illustrates a non-limiting example of a computing system 900 capable of performing one or more of the methods and processes described above. The computing system 900 is shown in a simplified form. The computing system 900 can take the form of one or more personal computers, workstations, computers integrated with board processing tools, and / or network-accessible server computers.

[0121] The computing system 900 includes a logical subsystem 902 and a storage subsystem 904. The computing system 900 may optionally include a display subsystem 906, an input subsystem 908, a communication subsystem 910, and / or other components not shown in Figure 9. The system controller 156 is an example of the computing system 900.

[0122] The logical subsystem 902 includes one or more physical devices configured to execute instructions. For example, the logical subsystem may be configured to execute instructions that are part of one or more applications, services, programs, routines, libraries, objects, components, data structures, or other logical structures. Such instructions may be implemented to perform tasks, implement data types, transform the state of one or more components, achieve technical effects, or reach desired results.

[0123] A logical subsystem may include one or more processors configured to execute software instructions. Additionally or alternatively, a logical subsystem may include one or more hardware or firmware logical subsystems configured to execute hardware or firmware instructions. The processors of a logical subsystem may be single-core or multi-core, and the instructions executed thereon may be configured for sequential, parallel, and / or distributed processing. Individual components of a logical subsystem may optionally be distributed across two or more separate devices located remotely and / or configured for collaborative processing. Aspects of a logical subsystem may be virtualized and executed by remotely accessible, networked computing devices configured in a cloud computing configuration.

[0124] The storage subsystem 904 includes one or more physical devices configured to hold instructions 912 that can be executed by the logical subsystem to implement the methods and processes described herein. Once such methods and processes are implemented, the state of the storage subsystem 904 can be transformed, for example, to hold different data.

[0125] The storage subsystem 904 may include removable devices and / or built-in devices. The storage subsystem 904 may include, among other things, optical memory (e.g., CD, DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray disc, etc.), semiconductor memory (e.g., RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.), and / or magnetic memory (e.g., hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, tape drive, MRAM, etc.). The storage subsystem 904 may include volatile, non-volatile, dynamic, static, read-write, read-only, random access, sequential access, position-addressable, file-addressable, and / or content-addressable devices.

[0126] It will be understood that the memory subsystem 904 includes one or more physical devices. However, the instruction aspects described herein may alternatively be propagated by a communication medium (e.g., electromagnetic signals, optical signals, etc.) that is not held by a physical device for a finite period of time.

[0127] Aspects of the logic subsystem 902 and the memory subsystem 904 can be integrated into one or more hardware logic components. Such hardware logic components may include, for example, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable and application-specific integrated circuits (PASICs / ASICs), programmable and application-specific standard products (PSSPs / ASSPs), systems on a chip (SOCs), and composite programmable logic devices (CPLDs).

[0128] If included, the display subsystem 906 can be used to present a visual representation of the data held by the storage subsystem 904. This visual representation may take the form of a graphical user interface (GUI). When the methods and processes described herein modify the data held by the storage subsystem and thereby transform the state of the storage subsystem, the state of the display subsystem 906 is also transformed so that the changes in the underlying data can be visually represented. The display subsystem 906 may include one or more display devices utilizing substantially any type of technology. Such display devices may be combined with the logical subsystem 902 and / or the storage subsystem 904 within a shared enclosure, or such display devices may be peripheral display devices.

[0129] If included, the input subsystem 908 may include or interface with one or more user input devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen. In some examples, the input subsystem may include or interface with selected natural user input (NUI) components. Such components may be integrated or peripheral, and the conversion and / or processing of input actions may be handled onboard or offboard. Exemplary NUI components may include microphones for speech recognition and / or voice recognition, as well as infrared, color, stereoscopic, and / or depth cameras for machine vision and / or gesture recognition.

[0130] If included, the communication subsystem 910 may be configured to connect the computing system 900 to one or more other computing devices in a communicative manner. The communication subsystem 910 may include wired and / or wireless communication devices compatible with one or more different communication protocols. In a non-limiting example, the communication subsystem may be configured to communicate over a wireless telephone network, or over a wired or wireless local area network or wide area network. In some examples, the communication subsystem may enable the computing system 900 to send and receive messages to and from other devices over a network such as the Internet.

[0131] This disclosure is presented by reference, as an example, to the drawings of the relevant figures. Components, process steps, and other elements that may be substantially the same in one or more of the figures are identified as corresponding and described with minimal repetition. However, it should be noted that elements identified as corresponding may also differ to some extent. It should be further noted that some figures are schematic and may not be drawn to scale. The scale, aspect ratio, and number of components in the various drawings shown in the figures may be intentionally distorted to make certain features or relationships clearer.

[0132] As used herein, "and / or" is defined as inclusive or ∨, as specified by the truth table below. [Table 1]

[0133] As used herein, the term “one or more A or B” includes A, B, or a combination of A and B. The term “one or more A, B, or C” is synonymous with A, B, and / or C. Therefore, as used herein, “one or more A, B, or C” includes A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0134] The configurations and / or approaches described herein are illustrative in nature, and it will be understood that these particular embodiments or examples should not be considered restrictively, as numerous variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of strategies. Therefore, the various operations illustrated and / or described may be performed in the order illustrated and / or described, in other orders, in parallel, or omitted. Similarly, the order of the processes described above can be changed.

[0135] The subject matter of this disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and partial combinations of the various processes, systems and configurations disclosed herein, as well as other features, functions, operations, and / or properties, and all their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for etching features onto an oxide layer on a substrate, The method involves introducing a gas mixture containing an etching agent and a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber where the substrate is placed, wherein the substrate comprises a patterning mask that partially covers the oxide layer. The features are etched into the non-masked portion of the oxide layer, and at the same time, a material containing the metal from the metal halide is deposited on the patterning mask. Methods that include...

2. The method according to claim 1, The etching agent comprises fluorocarbon.

3. The method according to claim 1, The etching agent comprises hydrogen fluoride, and the method is as described above.

4. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the oxide layer comprises a metal oxide or a metalloid oxide.

5. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the oxide layer comprises silicon dioxide or titanium dioxide.

6. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the patterning mask comprises one or more of the following materials: metal oxide, amorphous carbon, boron-doped carbon, tungsten-doped carbon, titanium nitride, silicon, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon carbonitride, or photoresist material.

7. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the metal halide comprises one or more halides of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, iron, ruthenium, rhenium, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, or bismuth.

8. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the metal halide comprises one or more tungsten hexafluoride or molybdenum hexafluoride.

9. The method according to claim 1, The method wherein the metal halide includes an oxyhalide.

10. It is a processing tool, Processing chamber and A plasma generator configured to generate plasma in the processing chamber, A substrate holder positioned within the processing chamber, Flow control hardware configured to control the flow rate of one or more treatment chemicals into the treatment chamber, It is a controller, The flow rate control hardware is controlled to introduce a gas mixture containing an etching agent and a metal halide into the processing chamber. The system is configured to control the plasma generator and generate the plasma in the processing chamber, wherein the gas mixture and the plasma are configured to etch a non-masked oxide layer on the substrate and simultaneously deposit a metal-containing material from the metal halide onto the mask portion of the substrate, which has a patterning mask covering a portion of the oxide layer. Controller and A processing tool equipped with these features.

11. A processing tool according to claim 10, A processing tool further comprising an etching chemical source, wherein the etching chemical source contains fluorocarbons.

12. A processing tool according to claim 10, A processing tool further comprising an etching chemical source, wherein the etching chemical source contains hydrogen fluoride.

13. A processing tool according to claim 10, A processing tool further comprising a metal halide source, wherein the metal halide source comprises one or more halides of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, iron, ruthenium, rhenium, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, or bismuth.

14. A processing tool according to claim 13, The aforementioned metal halide source is a processing tool containing an oxyhalide.

15. A method for removing patterning mask residue from a substrate between a resist development process and an etching process, The process involves introducing a metal halide into a plasma formed in a processing chamber where a substrate containing a photoresist patterning mask and patterning mask residue is placed, depositing a metal-containing substance from the metal halide onto at least the photoresist patterning mask, and protecting the photoresist patterning mask during the removal of the patterning mask residue. Methods that include...

16. The method according to claim 15, The method wherein the patterning mask comprises a metal oxide photoresist.

17. The method according to claim 15, A method wherein the removal of the patterning mask residue and the deposition of the metal-containing substance from the metal halide are performed simultaneously.

18. The method according to claim 15, A method wherein the deposition of the metal-containing substance from the metal halide and the removal of the patterning mask residue are performed in a continuous manner.

19. The method according to claim 15, The method wherein the substrate comprises a hard mask layer beneath the photoresist patterning mask.

20. The method according to claim 15, The deposition of the metal-containing substance from the metal halide is further carried out before and simultaneously with the removal of the patterning mask residue.

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